What were the main consequences of the Norman conquest of England?
William the Conqueror’s invasion of England marks a turning point in English history.
The reason was William’s claims to the English throne, based on kinship with the Anglo-Saxon king Edward the Confessor, who died at the beginning of 1066. In addition to the Norman barons, feudal lords from other regions of France also participated in the invasion. Having crossed the English Channel on sailing ships, William’s army landed in the south of England on September 28. The decisive battle between the troops of William and the new king of the Anglo-Saxons, Harold, took place on October 14 near Hastings. The outcome of the battle was decided by the Norman cavalry, who destroyed most of the Anglo-Saxons who fought on foot. Harold was killed in action. Wilhelm was crowned the Anglo-Saxon crown on December 25
As a result of the conquest, the more developed French military-fief system was transferred to England. The slender and most centralized feudal hierarchical ladder in Europe was created. All land became the property of the king. Feudal lords could only be the holders of the royal land. The distribution of feuds to the associates of William the Conqueror became possible thanks to the confiscation of the lands of the old Anglo-Saxon nobility. At the same time, the possessions of the barons were scattered in different counties, which prevented the formation of independent territories of the principalities. The establishment of a strong royal power was also facilitated by the preservation of about 1/7 of the land directly in the hands of the royal domain. As a result of the conquest, the remaining free peasants were finally subordinated to the power of the feudal lords. Most of the peasant holders were relegated to the status of serfs. Thus, the Norman conquest contributed to the completion of the process of feudalization, which began in the Anglo-Saxon period.
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